Mobile disaster crematory

ABSTRACT

A mobile disaster crematory and method for cremating a body or other material are provided. The mobile disaster crematory comprises a housing, a front loading door in communication with an operator loading area, an exterior operator access door in communication with an equipment access room, and an exterior operator access control panel. An interior refractory lining defines a primary cremation chamber in fluid communication with a secondary environmental control chamber for oxidation of emissions to be conveyed from a crematory exhaust stack. An air intake system comprising valved air pipes delivers air into the chambers. Primary and secondary chamber burners are operably connected to temperature sensors, and to a valved fuel pipe and fuel supply, all operably connected to the exterior access control panel operably by a human operator. Power may be supplied by a local utility or a backup generator located in the crematory housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to crematories, and, more particularly, toa mobile disaster crematory.

Pandemics, floods, hurricanes, earth quakes, and all manner of naturalor man-made disasters cause multiple deaths.

Existing crematories are not capable of handling the additional bodies.Further, existing crematories may be miles from a needed location.

As can be seen, there is a need for a mobile disaster crematory capableof being deployed to any location, and to cremate the dead when andwhere needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a mobile disastercrematory. In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobiledisaster crematory which is capable of being deployed to any location.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a mobile disastercrematory constructed and arranged to accommodate cremation of the deadin disaster areas. The mobile disaster crematory of the presentinvention solves the problems of providing a crematory in areas wherepandemics, floods, hurricanes earth quakes and all other natural orman-made disasters cause multiple deaths. The crematory of the presentinvention may be used to cremate the dead in any location.

The present invention differs from and distinguishes over currentcrematories. The crematory of the present invention is constructed andarranged to provide a mobile crematory. Current crematories andprocesses require dead bodies to be loaded into trucks and transportedto the location of the crematories. The present invention provides anunprecedented improvement over existing crematories and existingsolutions for cremation. The mobile crematory of the present inventionmay be deployed to any location in order to cremate the dead when andwhere needed.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a mobile disastercrematory which may comprise one or more of the following elements orcomponents and combinations thereof.

-   1. Transportation container-   2. Refractory Lining-   3. Burners-   4. Control Panel-   5. Air System-   6. Exhaust System-   7. Loading System-   8. Air Inlet-   9. Power supply-   10. Fuel Supply-   11. Maintenance Access

In a further aspect, the present invention may comprise a mobiledisaster crematory comprising one or more of the following elements orcomponents, which may be assembled and may function in the followingmanner. A transportation container may be provided. Refractory materialsmay be provided and installed into the container to provide a refractorylining and to form a continuous multi-chamber design. The continuousmulti-chamber design may comprise a primary chamber for cremation and asecondary chamber for environmental control. Heat may be supplied intoeach chamber by an auxiliary burner located in each chamber. Air may besupplied into each chamber, each burner and the exhaust by fansconnected to each component by pipes. Air valves may control the flow.Fuel for the heating process may be supplied to the burners by pipes,and the flow may be controlled by valves. Temperature sensors may belocated in each chamber to control the temperature, through modulationof the fuel and or air valves. The control panel may be an interfacebetween the system and the human operator. The loader may be used toplace the deceased remains into the primary chamber. The operator mayremove the bone fragments through the main charging door after eachcremation. A generator supplies the electrical power for the system.Powered air louvers open through the container wall to allow for freshair to be supplied to the system. A maintenance door may be provided toallow access into the container for periodic maintenance of the burnersand blowers.

In one aspect, the present invention may be made of any suitablecomponents by any suitable fabrication process. Refractory Materials maybe laid out to form chambers in a transportation container. Therefractory materials may be installed in such a manner as not to moveduring transportation. Burners may be located in both the primary andsecondary chambers to provide the required heat to both chambersnecessary to cremate a body placed therein, and to oxidize resultingemissions prior to exit through the exhaust. Air fans (blowers) may beinstalled into the container to provide combustion air for the burners,and the chambers. Additional air may be directed into the exhaust tocause draft. Process controls may be provided in the control panel wherethe operator may set and monitor the system. Fuel and air may besupplied to the burners by pipes, the delivery being controlled byvalves. Power for the system may be provided by local utilities or thebackup generator located in the container. Holes may be cut into thecontainer to allow maintenance access, fresh air intake, and exhaustexit.

In a further aspect, all of the elements are required to make the systemfunction as designed. The only options may be the local fuel supply,local power supply and the manual loading of the bodies to be cremated.

In some embodiments, refractory materials may be reconfigured to formdifferent chambers. Electrical elements may replace the burners, oranother alternative heat source could be provided.

In one aspect, A mobile disaster crematory and mobile cremation methodare provided. The mobile portable crematory comprises a housing having afront loading door, an exterior operator access door, and an exterioroperator access control panel. An interior refractory lining defines aprimary chamber for cremation of a body or other material, in fluidcommunication with a secondary chamber for environmental control andoxidation of emissions. An air intake system delivers air into theprimary and secondary chambers, and an exhaust stack is provided influid communication with the primary and secondary chambers. First andsecond cremation burners are respectively located in the primary andsecondary chambers. A fuel supply is operably connected to a valved fuelpipe constructed and arranged for delivery of fuel to the burners. Avalved air pipe is constructed and arranged for delivery of air to theburners. An operator loading area is accessible by the front loadingdoor to receive at least one body to be cremated. An equipment accessroom is accessible by the exterior operator access door. A power supplymay be selected from electric power provided by a local utility, abackup generator located in the crematory housing, and combinationsthereof. First and second temperature sensors are operably connected tothe first and second burners, each also being operably connected to afuel valve and an air valve. Each said temperature sensor, fuel valveand air valve are operably connected to the exterior access controlpanel, whereby during use of the mobile crematory each said fuel valveand each said air valve may be actuated by operation of the exterioroperator access control panel by a human operator.

The present invention may be used in the following manner. The containermay be deployed to an affected area. The fuel supply, power supply maybe turned on, the exhaust stack put into place, and the machinepreheated to start cremating dead bodies. The bodies that would becremated by the mobile disaster crematory of the present invention wouldotherwise have to be loaded into refrigerated trucks and transported toa stationary crematory, where it may take weeks to cremate them.

The system of the present invention may have applicability to a numberof other applications, including but not limited to being used forcremation of animals, for disposal of infectious waste and/or for anyother type 4 material.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a mobile disaster cremator inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of a mobile disaster crematory inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a mobiledisaster crematory which provides an unprecedented solution capable ofdeployment to any location for cremation of the dead when and whereneeded.

Pandemics, floods, hurricanes earth quakes and all manner of natural orman-made disasters cause multiple deaths. Existing crematories cannothandle the additional bodies and are miles from the needed location. Themobile disaster crematory of the present invention provides a mobilesolution which may be deployed to the disaster area to provide a mobilecrematory for the dead bodies. Previous options have been limited toloading dead bodies into trucks to be transported to a crematorylocation. The mobile crematory of the present invention may be deployedto any location and cremate the dead when and where needed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the mobile disaster crematory, referred togenerally at 10 is shown. FIG. 1 provides a front perspective view andFIG. 2 provides a rear elevation view of the invention. Further detailsare shown in FIGS. 3-5, wherein FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view takenon line 3-3 of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view taken online 4-4 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 provides a cross-sectional view taken online 5-5 of FIG. 4.

As seen in the Figures, the mobile disaster crematory 10 may comprise ashipping container 12 having a container front side 12 a, a containerrear side 12 b, container front doors 12 c, an access panel 12 d, alouvered air intake system 12 e and an access door 12 f. The mobiledisaster crematory 10 may further comprise an operator loading area 14a, a remains pan access 14 b, a retort 16, a retort load door 14 c, anexhaust stack 18 and an equipment access room 20. As seen at FIG. 4, themobile disaster crematory 10 may have a refractory lining comprisingceramic insulation blocks 22 a, and may further include a control panel24 a, a cremation burner 24 b, an afterburner 24 c, and a hearth 26. Insome embodiments, the refractory lining may be made of materialsselected from ceramic insulation blocks, fire bricks and combinationsthereof.

In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention may provide a mobiledisaster crematory 10 comprising The Version of The Invention DiscussedHere Includes:

1. Transportation container 12

2. Refractory Lining which may comprise ceramic insulation blocks 22 a

3. Burners which may comprise a cremation burner 24 b and an afterburner 24 c

4. Control Panels 12 d, 24 a

5. Air Intake System 12 e

6. Exhaust System 18

7. Loading System 14 a

8. Air Inlet 12 e

9. Power supply (any suitable power supply from utilities or agenerator)

10. Fuel Supply (any suitable fuel supplied to the system by valvedpipes)

11. Maintenance Access 12 f

In an exemplary embodiment, a shipping container 12 may be provided.Refractory elements 22 a may be laid out to form chambers 16 in atransportation container. The refractory elements 22 a may be installedin such a manner as not to move during transportation. Burners 24 b and24 c are located in both the primary and secondary chambers to providethe required heat to both cremate the body and oxidize the emissionsprior to exit through the exhaust 18. Air fans (blowers) are installedinto the container to provide combustion air for the burners, and thechambers. Additional air is directed into the exhaust 18 to cause draft.Process controls are provided in the control panels 12 d, 24 a where theoperator can set and monitor the system. Fuel and air to the burners issupplied by pipes and controlled by valves. Power for the system isprovided by local utilities or the backup generator located in thecontainer. Holes are cut into the container to allow maintenance access,fresh air intake and exhaust exit.

In an exemplary embodiment the invention may be constructed and arrangedin the following manner. The refractory materials 22 a may be installedinto the container to from a continuous multi-chamber design 16, thatmay comprise a primary chamber for cremation and a secondary chamber forenvironmental control. Heat may be supplied into each chamber by anauxiliary burner located in each chamber 24 b, 24 c. Air is suppliedinto each chamber, each burner and the exhaust by fans connected to eachcomponent by pipes. Air valves control the flow. Fuel for the heatingprocess is supplied to the burners by pipes and the flow is controlledby valves. Temperature sensors are located in each chamber to controlthe temperature, through modulation of the fuel and or air valves. Thecontrol panel 12 d, 24 a is an interface between the system and thehuman operator. The loader 14 c is used to place the deceased remainsinto the primary chamber 16. The operator removes the bone fragmentsthrough the main charging door after each cremation. A generatorsupplies the electrical power for the system. Powered air louvers 12 eopen through the container wall to allow for fresh air to be supplied tothe system. A maintenance door 12 f is provided to allow access into thecontainer for periodic maintenance of the burners and blowers.

All of the elements are required to make the system function asdesigned. The only options are local fuel supply, local power supply andmanual loading of the bodies.

Refractory materials could be reconfigured to form different chambers.Electrical elements could replace the burners or another heat sourcecould be provided.

The present invention may be used in the following manner. The containermay be deployed to the affected area. The fuel supply, power supplywould be turned on the exhaust stack put into place and the machinepreheated to start cremating dead bodies that would otherwise have to beloaded into refrigerated trucks and transported to a stationarycrematory, where it may take weeks to cremate them.

In some embodiments, the system may have alternative applications. Forexample, without limitation, the system may be used for animals,infectious waste and any other type 4 material.

In summary, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the presentinvention may provide a mobile disaster crematory capable of beingdeployed to any location to cremate the dead when and where needed.

In an exemplary embodiment, the mobile portable crematory comprises acrematory housing having at least one front loading door, an exterioroperator access door, and an exterior operator access control panel. Aninterior refractory lining defines a first interior chamber in fluidcommunication with a second interior chamber providing a primary chamberfor cremation of the at least one body and a secondary chamber forenvironmental control and oxidation of emissions. An air intake systemdelivers air into the first interior chamber and the second interiorchamber, and an exhaust stack is provided in fluid communication withthe first and second interior chambers. First and second cremationburners are respectively located in the first and second interiorchambers. A fuel supply comprises a valved fuel pipe constructed andarranged for delivery of fuel to the burners. A valved air pipe isconstructed and arranged for delivery of air to the burners. An operatorloading area is accessible by the at least one front loading door toreceive at least one body to be cremated. An equipment access room isaccessible by the exterior operator access door. A power supply may beselected from electric power provided by a local utility, a backupgenerator located in the crematory housing, and combinations thereof. Afirst temperature sensor located in the primary chamber and a secondtemperature sensor located in the secondary chamber, each saidtemperature sensor being operably connected to a fuel valve and an airvalve, wherein each said temperature sensor, fuel valve and air valveare operably connected to the exterior access control panel, wherebyduring use of the mobile crematory each said fuel valve and each saidair valve may be actuated by operation of the exterior operator accesscontrol panel by a human operator.

In an exemplary embodiment, a method of cremation comprises providing amobile disaster crematory; deploying the mobile disaster crematory to anaffected area; loading at least one body or other material to becremated therein; and operating the mobile disaster crematory to crematethe body or other material. Operating the mobile disaster crematoryfurther comprises powering on the mobile disaster crematory; andactuating at least one control on the control panel to operate a fuelcontrol valve, an air valve, a first cremation burner, a secondcremation burner and combinations thereof.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mobile portable crematory comprising: acrematory housing having a front side, a rear side, an exterior surfaceand an interior portion defined by the housing, the crematory housingfurther comprising at least one front loading door, an exterior operatoraccess door, and an exterior operator access panel; an interiorrefractory lining constructed and arranged to define a first interiorchamber in fluid communication with a second interior chamber; an airintake system operable to deliver air into the first interior chamberand the second interior chamber; an exhaust stack in fluid communicationwith the first interior chamber and the second interior chamber; a firstcremation burner located in the first interior chamber and a secondcremation burner or afterburner located in the second interior chamber;an operator loading area accessible by the at least one front loadingdoor constructed and arranged to receive at least one body to becremated for delivery to the first interior chamber; an equipment accessroom in communication with the exterior operator access door; a powersupply; and a fuel supply.
 2. The mobile portable crematory of claim 1,wherein the interior refractory lining comprises a plurality of ceramicinsulation blocks.
 3. The mobile portable crematory of claim 2, whereinthe first interior chamber comprises a primary chamber for cremation ofthe at least one body and the second interior chamber comprises asecondary chamber for environmental control and oxidation of emissionsprior to exhaust through the exhaust stack.
 4. The mobile disastercrematory of claim 3 further comprising: at least one fuel pipeconstructed and arranged for delivery of fuel to the burners, the fuelpipes further comprising fuel control valves; and at least one air pipeconstructed and arranged for delivery of air to the burners, the airpipes further comprising air control valves.
 5. The mobile disastercrematory of claim 4 wherein the power supply is selected from electricpower provided by a local utility, a backup generator located in thecrematory housing, and combinations thereof.
 6. The mobile disastercrematory of claim 5 further comprising a first temperature sensorlocated in the primary chamber and a second temperature sensor locatedin the secondary chamber, each said temperature sensor being operablyconnected to a fuel valve and an air valve, wherein each saidtemperature sensor, fuel valve and air valve are operably connected tothe exterior access control panel, whereby during use of the mobilecrematory each said fuel valve and each said air valve may be actuatedby operation of the exterior access control panel by a human operator.7. A mobile portable crematory comprising: a crematory housing having afront side, a rear side, an exterior surface and an interior portiondefined by the housing, the crematory housing further comprising atleast one front loading door, an exterior operator access door, and anexterior operator access control panel; an interior refractory liningconstructed and arranged to define a first interior chamber in fluidcommunication with a second interior chamber, the first interior chambercomprising a primary chamber for cremation of the at least one body andthe second interior chamber comprising a secondary chamber forenvironmental control and oxidation of emissions, the interiorrefractory lining further comprising a plurality of ceramic insulationblocks; an air intake system operable to deliver air into the firstinterior chamber and the second interior chamber; a first cremationburner located in the first interior chamber and a second cremationburner or afterburner located in the second interior chamber; an exhauststack in fluid communication with the first interior chamber and thesecond interior chamber for exhaust of the oxidized emissions from thefirst and second interior chambers; a fuel supply; at least one fuelpipe constructed and arranged for delivery of fuel to the burners, thefuel pipes further comprising fuel control valves; at least one air pipeconstructed and arranged for delivery of air to the burners, the airpipes further comprising air control valves; an operator loading areaaccessible by the at least one front loading door constructed andarranged to receive at least one body to be cremated for delivery to thefirst interior chamber; an equipment access room in communication withthe exterior operator access door; a power supply selected from electricpower provided by a local utility, a backup generator located in thecrematory housing, and combinations thereof; and a first temperaturesensor located in the primary chamber and a second temperature sensorlocated in the secondary chamber, each said temperature sensor beingoperably connected to a fuel valve and an air valve, wherein each saidtemperature sensor, fuel valve and air valve are operably connected tothe exterior access control panel, whereby during use of the mobilecrematory each said fuel valve and each said air valve may be actuatedby operation of the exterior operator access control panel by a humanoperator.
 8. A method of cremation comprising: providing a mobiledisaster crematory as in claim 7; deploying the mobile disastercrematory to an affected area; loading at least one body or othermaterial to be cremated therein; and operating the mobile disastercrematory to cremate the body or other material.
 9. A method ofcremation as in claim 8 wherein operating the mobile disaster crematoryfurther comprises: powering on the mobile disaster crematory; andactuating at least one control on the control panel to operate a fuelcontrol valve, an air valve, a first cremation burner, a secondcremation burner and combinations thereof.